6/9
PIERS MORGAN Television presenter

7/9
MIKE GATTING (right) Former England captain

“I’m sure there will be lots of ‘he said, she said’ ... I’m sure we’ll all listen and have a wry smile, because there’s always two sides to the coin.”

Getty

8/9
GEOFF MILLER Ex-England player and selector

“To the best of my knowledge there was no atmosphere of bullying within the England set-up.”

Getty

9/9
BRIAN MOORE Former England rugby union player

“Sad to see English cricket tearing itself apart; the game, the country is bigger than any individuals; Flower, Prior, Pietersen – anybody.”

Getty

By the superstar batsman's own admission, it was the source of many of his difficulties as he had to work for a new coach - while fitting back into the ranks under Andrew Strauss' captaincy - and in his own words, Flower subsequently had a "vendetta" against him.

Boycott acknowledges all of that, in conversation with Cricinfo, and ultimately sympathises with Pietersen over his claims that the England and Wales Cricket Board failed to cite ample reasons to him for his sacking in February after last winter's whitewash Ashes defeat.

"I'd be miffed if my career had been finished for no reasons given," said Boycott.

"It's actually a pretty big thing when you've got a very talented player ... (and) a country says, 'Fine, we want to move on without you'.

"I think [both parties] have a duty to the public to say what their reasons are."

Read more

A document has leaked into the public domain, containing what appears to be an ECB log of Pietersen's alleged misdemeanours during the 2013/14 Ashes.

There has been no official reaction, though, from the governing body to the publication of Pietersen's autobiography - in which he alleges a "bullying" culture took hold under Flower's regime.

Boycott is particularly frustrated by the vacuum of information which persisted through a difficult summer for England, after Pietersen and his former employers agreed a near eight-month confidentiality clause.

"In a free democratic society, which we live in, people are entitled to (hear) their views - both sides," he said.

"So he's entitled to his, but also the ECB should have spoken out at the time.

"I think both of them should have spoken out at the time.

"It was too big an issue to just wait for a moratorium for October 1 - far too big an issue."

Geoffrey Boycott sympathises with Pietersen

As for the ill-fitting working relationship between Pietersen and Flower, Boycott added: "You have two people who resent the situation, both in prime positions - one the best batsman and the other the coach in charge.

"That's a recipe for disaster, isn't it?

"I'm not surprised it spilled over, and eventually he's having his say, because I feel there was so much ill-feeling from that moment Kevin was sacked as captain and Flower was promoted from assistant coach to the coach."